Not Far From It Now

Renewable energy technology such as windmills and solar cells are going increasingly mainstream. So much so that they are becoming more economically available than they ever were before. Even today, you could pay over $3000 to have something like that professionally installed. This greatly accounts for why you don't see too many solar cells on roofs or windmills in backyards, in the past it just wasn't economically viable. With growing concern over the environment, global warming, and the energy crisis, they've all become increasingly public issues. For all of this, a number of DIY guides have recently come onto the market advertising that anyone, regardless of their experience or skill, can build their own windmills and solar cells generally for under $200.

Skeptical that you could create working renewable energy technology on that small of a budget and eager to blow the whistle on the whole thing, I invested in a couple of these guides to see for myself how possible it really was. I spent a weekend in my garage putting together my first windmill and set it all up, eagerly awaiting the results. I kept an eye on my power consumption with the help of a friend who works at the power company and was pleasantly surprised to learn that I cut back on my bill by about 60% in the three quarters of a power bill month frame which I had used it. I live along the coast so I was expecting something, but not quite this. I went ahead and put together some solar cells like the guide showed me a few weeks later and now I'm saving about 75-80% on my bill each month. I put together a second windmill for my friend and when I get around to it I want to make a second one for myself so that I can start producing more electricity than I go through.

Since when I tested my first guide months ago, I have reviewed a number more of these DIY renewable energy technology guides to see how the information compares against one another.

If you're at all skeptical, visit http://www.renewableenergyreviewed.com for a detailed review of each of my favorite guides where I break down ease of use, results, and more.

AP - Scrambling to win the West, Democrat Barack Obama mocked John McCain on Saturday for aggressively trying to distance himself from President Bush. McCain touted his Western ties and warned that Obama is a tax-and-spend threat to the nation.

posted by treehkczc  # 1:36 AM